Identifying anti-life "misinformation"
Laura DeMaria
On a recent episode of The Pillar podcast, Ed Condon made the good point that in the current stage of the fight for the culture of life, those on the opposing side will use the term “misinformation” or “disinformation” when discussing the pro-life position. However, we should recognize their claims to disinformation for what they are: lies. Here are three of the most common:
Women will be punished or jailed (some have even said “executed”) for having abortions.
Taking care of ectopic pregnancies is a form of abortion that will no longer be legal, endangering women’s lives.
That the Supreme Court ruling “overturned” a Constitutional right.
The first two are just lies, plain and simple. Nowhere in the country can a woman be prosecuted in any way for having an abortion. Abortion “doctors,” however, can. Also, the process for ending an ectopic pregnancy is not an abortion, and is not illegal. Nothing has changed with regards to the availability of that procedure, called a salpingostomy, salpingectomy, or laparascopy.
The third one is also untrue. The ruling did not remove or take away a right. The ruling found that the Constitution does not grant the right, and that those earlier cases - Roe and Casey - were in error for imagining a right that does not exist in the Constitution. As I said on my recent appearance on Morning Air, indeed the ruling actually restores a right: that of life to the unborn. The ruling returns the ability to legislate on abortion back to the states. That’s what it does.
One big lie that has blown up in recent weeks is the apparent story of a ten year old rape victim who went across lines from Indiana for Ohio for an abortion. The president himself repeated this story which, it turns out, is completely unfounded. The bigger story here is why an abortion doctor would “treat” a ten year old, clearly a victim of sexual abuse, and not report it. Turns out the doctor promoting this story is known for not reporting cases of juvenile sexual abuse she sees in her clinic. Not reporting abuse is an offense serious enough to warrant losing one’s medical license.
So, misinformation - that is, lies - are rampant, and of course have been rampant, because that is the nature of our media and the powerful lobby that advocates for the culture of death. If you are looking for a patron saint of the truth right now, may I first suggest Jesus himself: the way, the truth, and the life. But I also suggest St. Michael the Archangel, defender of the Church and of life. We will need his help in this and all spiritual battles, but praise God, He is with us.